Multi-generational timber producer Andrew Hurford, from Hurford’s Hardwood, last week opened the gates of his private plantation north of Kyogle to more than 40 councillors, farmers, and landowners. The event celebrated a major milestone: the planting of one million trees over the past two decades on the company’s property adjacent to the Border Ranges World Heritage-listed National Park.
“It’s great to be here where our tree planting journey began twenty years ago in 2005 and see those forests being thinned and producing beautiful, durable hardwood products such as poles, flooring, decking, cladding and joinery,” Hurford told Wood Central after National Forestry Day. “It’s confirmation that with the right species matched to the site, along with appropriate management, we can produce high-quality products from hardwood plantations in a reasonable time frame.”
Each year, Hurfords plants 50,000 seedlings—culminating in a million trees, including towering blackbutt growing from rich volcanic ridge-top soils. Attendees toured the plantation and engaged in discussions on forest management practices, including burning, grazing, weed control, pruning, and thinning.
“Timber is our primary objective,” Hurford said, pointing to Hurford Hardwoods’ signature coastal blackbutt flooring and kiln-dried cladding and decking made from a variety of eucalypt species. “But as a landowner, you might grow timber to build cattle yards or for fencing,” Hurford said, noting that thinning operations not only improve forest health but also generate durable hardwood poles and railings, providing early cash flow before larger stands are harvested. Following the success of the open day, Hurford plans to make the event an annual fixture, fostering knowledge exchange and addressing both the challenges and opportunities in durable hardwood plantations and regrowth native forestry.
- To learn more about the NSW north coast native hardwood industry, click here for Wood Central’s special feature from February 2023.
